Take a short road trip to see rocket engines, demonstrations of commercial shrimping, oystering, fishing, pre-Civil War hotel, Sandhill Crane Refuge, and Scranton Floating Museum.
This is a short drive, but there are so many good occasions to stop and see or do things that it will take at least a day to achieve most of them. If you stop for all the interesting places along this drive, you will need one week, but it’s worth doing as they are all good. Begin at the NASA Test Site next to the first I-10 exit out of Louisiana. At the NASA Center, you might see, or at least hear, rocket engines being experimented and see some excellent exhibits. Next, drive south on Route 607 for about 20 miles to Bay Saint Louis.
By this time, Route 607 has become U.S. 90. Follow U.S. 90 for 55 miles through Biloxi, Gulfport, and Ocean Springs to Pascagoula. At both Biloxi (1115 Porter Avenue) and Gulfport (702 E. Beach Blvd.), there are interesting harbor boat trips with demonstrations of commercial shrimping, fishing, and oystering, as well as excursion boats to Ship Island, where you can climb around on Fort Massachusetts, a Civil War stronghold. In Biloxi, landmarks worth taking a break to see include the Magnolia Hotel (pre-Civil War), Tullis-Toledalno Manor (1856), lighthouse, and the Seafood Industry Museum.
A brief drive up to I-10 near Ocean Springs takes you to the Mississippi Sandhill Crane Refuge, where you can see very long necks. In Pascagoula, see the Scranton Floating Museum in a converted shrimp boat; you can act as if you’re Forrest Gump. By now, you should understand more than you ever thought you wanted to know about seafood.
Starting Point:
NASA Test Center
Distance of Drive:
70 miles
Must Eat:
McElroy’s Harbor House
695 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, MS 39530
Phone: 228-435-5001
Call ahead to confirm hours of operation.
Good Stop For: Seafood
Best Time of Year for Drive:
Year round
Points of Interest on Drive:
Seafood Industry Museum
NASA Test Site
Scranton Floating Museum
Fort Massachusetts
Tagged with: best time:yearround • fishing • Mississippi
Filed under: Best Road Trips